Lamp with removable reflector unit



6, 1953 A. F. VANDENBERG 2,654,828

LAMP WITH REMOVABLE REFLECTOR UNIT Filed Nov. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet lWWW UM T if FIG.,- 4

INVENTOR. A'lbert F. Vondenberg 11 MAM ATTORNEYS 6, 1953 A. F.VANDENBERG 2,

LAMP WITH REMOVABLE REFLECTOR UNIT Filed NOV. 19, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2mum INVENTOR. 29 Al bert F. Vondenberg ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 6, 1953 eUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP W ITH REMOVABLE REFLECTOR UNIT AlbertF. Vandenberg, Denver, Colo. 1 Application November 19, 1951, Serial N0. 256,972

6 Claims. (01. 240-818) This invention relates to electric lamps andmore particularly such lamps which have separable units, one of whichcarries a reel for a cord and the other a reflector and a bulb so thatthe two units can be mounted together or the reflectorunit can beseparated from the reel unit and placed at some other position wherelight is desired remote from the reel unit without the necessity ofmoving both units. such lamps have many uses, particularly on vehicleswhen it may be desired to have light at different times on the front,rear or any other point of the vehicle.

, One of the objects of the invention is to provide in a lamp of thetype referred to, means for detachably connecting the reel unit andreflector unit together and also permitting the mounting of thereflector unit at any remote point when desired.

A further objectis to produce a lamp of the type referred to which is soconstructed that means including a single clamp structure carried by thereflector unit is employed to connect both units rigidly together,connect both units together so that the reflector unit can have movementon the reel unit to any of innumerable positions, -or permit thereflector unit to be mounted ona support away from the reel unit andhave movement to innumerablepositions with respect to the said support."M

Another object is to produce in a lamp having a removable reflector unitan improved reel unit for an electrical cord so as to permit thereflectorunit to be placed at a remotepoint and more particularlyimproved means for, conducting electricity to the cord wound on and offand also for establishing means for frictionally holding the reel in anyrotated position.

Yet a further object is to produce in a lamp an improved reflector unitfor association with a reel unit 'for' an electrical cord.

A still further object is to produce an improved clamp structure for anelectrical reflector unit which will permit the mounting of thereflector unit on various support means in a quick and simple manner andalso be capable of being positioned to direct a beam of light ininnumerable directions.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings showing apreferred embodiment, by way of example only.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of a lamp with the reflector unit in rigidmounted condition with the reel unit;

Figure 2 is a front end view of the lamp shown in Figure 1; a

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the reel unit, said view beingtaken on the line 33 of Figure 1 and showing the electrical connectionstructure between the reel cord and the conduc tor connected to thesource of electricity, which connection also functions as a means forestablishing friction to prevent free turning of the reel;

Figure 4 is a viewpartly in section showing the pivotal frictionconnection of the clamp to the reflector unit housing; and

Figures 5 and Gare views showing difierent manners of use of thereflector unit after it is removed from its rigid connection with thereel unit. I My improved lamp, as shown by the drawings, comprises twomainounits, areflector unit R and a cord and reel unit. C. Thereflector. unit has a housing [0 of general cylindrical shape providedon its rear side with a smaller cylindrical portion ll (see ,Figure 6).Within the housing is a reflector 12 of a shape to properly concentratethe rays from alight bulb l3 mounted in an electrical socket I 4 at thecenter of the re-, flector. The reflector unit is provided with twolenses madefrom suitable. material. The inner lens 15 is clear andtheouter lens I6 is red. f The inner lens is held in the cylindricalportion of the housing ill by a split wire ring I! fitting into asuitable groove, and the red lens is held by a similar split wire ringl8 fitting into a suitable groove. The ring l8 has its ends providedwith fairly long extensions l9 to permit easy grasping between the thumband finger so they can be squeezed toward each other to contract thering and allow it to be withdrawnfrom its holding groove. The red lenscan then be removed. With both an outer redlens and an inner white lens,the lamp can be conditioned either as a white light or a red light,depending upon which is desired. The red lens, when attached, is rigidand cannot be broken off as it might beif it were hinged on. e

The reflector unit housing carries an integral boss 20 to which aclamping structure is mounted, as best shown in Figure 4. The clampstructure comprises a clamp member 2! of a general U- shaped form, inone leg of which is threaded a bolt 22 having a wing head, thusproviding a thumb screw. The inner end of this bolt is arranged tocooperatewith the otherleg of the clamp so that by screwing up the nutthe clamp can be attached to a member which may be positioned betweenthe head of the bolt and the leg opposite the head. The clamp member 2|is arranged for pivotal mounting on the boss and this is accomplished bya pivot screw 23 threaded into the boss. The pivot screw is held in anyadjusted position by a small set screw 24 carried by the boss, all asshown in Figure 4. By screwing up the pivot screw, any desired amount offriction can be obtained between the clamp and the boss so that thereflector unit can be frictionally held in any desired position it maybe placed, The full purpose of the clamp on the reflector unit willlater become apparent.

The reel unit 0 is formed from two complementary cup-shaped sections 25and 26, held together by two screws 21 and 28 and a bolt 29. Thesections have similar semi-cylindrical extensions 30 and 3| to provide acylindrical opening into the housing C at the front top side thereof.The diameter of this cylindrical opening is slightly greater than thesmaller cylindrical porion H on the rear of the reflector unit so thatthe cylindrical portion can have a fairly close fit in the opening ofthe reel unit. The already mentioned screw 21 for holding the housingsections together passes through two suitable lugs carried by the twosemi-cylindrical extensions 39 and 3|.

Below the cylindrical opening in the unit C there is a forwardlyprojecting lug 32 which is formed by two outwardly projecting parts 33and 34 on the to sections of the housing. These two projecting parts areclamped together by the already mentioned screw 28 employed to hold thetwo casing sections together. Bolt 29 which is also employed to hold thetwo sections together, extends through two mating projecting parts 35and 36 carried by the two housing sections. Bolt 29 is not only employedto hold the housing sections together, but also is used to clamp anL-shaped mounting bracket 31 to the cord housing. With this bracket theunit C of the lamp can be mounted upon any suitable support by means ofa bolt 38, all as indicated in Figure '1. The cord unit 0 can bepivotally adjusted with respect to the mounting bracket, due to the boltconnection between the housing and the bracket.

As best seen in Figure 3, the inside of the housing section 25 of thecord housing is provided with an inwardly extending integral boss 39 inwhich is rotatably mounted a shaft 40, one end of which extends to theexterior of the housing section 25 and the other end extends inwardlybeyond the end of the boss 39. On the inner end of this shaft is mounteda reel U made from two similar sections 4| and 4|. Section 4| has a sideplate 42 and a hollow hub 43 extending laterally from one side of theplate. Section 4| also has a side plate 42' and a hollow hub 43' whichreceives boss 39. The hubs are clamped onto a shoulder of the shaft by anut on its inner end so the reel can be rotated by the shaft. The outerend of the shaft is provided with threads for attaching thereto a crank44 whereby the reel can be rotated by hand when desired.

The reel is arranged to have wound thereon a two-wire electric cord 45of considerable length. One end of the cord is attached to the reel bybeing clamped between the two sections and the other end of the cord isarranged to be connected through the rear end of the reflector 4 unit tothe socket I4 for the light bulb. One conductor of the wire at its reelend is turned back and also clamped between the sections to produce aground.

In order that the reel may be rotated to allow for the winding on andoff of the cord and yet permit a source of current to be continuouslytransmitted to the inner end of the cable, a special connectingstructure is employed which is also shown in Figure 3. The inner side ofthe housing section 26 opposite the inner end of the shaft 40 carries aconducting plate 46 suitably insulated from the housing structure byinsulating material 41. To this conductor plate will be attached anelectrical single wire conductor cord 48 extending to the outside of thehousing section for connection to the source of electricity for lightingthe lamp bulb. A protecting sheath 49 is also employed to cover the endof the cord 48 where it comes out of the housing section. Cooperatingwith the conductor disc 46 is a second conductor disc 50 which ismounted upon a disc 5| of suitable insulating material. The insulatingdisc 5| is arranged to be mounted in the open end of the hollow hub 43of section 4| of the reel. The conductor disc and insulating disc arefree to have movement axially of the reel, but are connected forrotation with the reel by the provision of recesses 52 in the peripheryof the disc of insulating material, which recesses receive lugs 53extending inwardly from the hub 43 of the reel section. The conductordisc 50 has connected thereto the ungrounded conductor wire at the innerend of the cable 45, all as shown in Figure 3.

In order that the two electnical conducting discs will be maintained inengagement at all times, there is provided in the hollow hub 43 of thereel section 4| a coil spring 54. It is interposed between theinsulating disc 5| and the inner end of the shaft 40, with said innerend of the shaft being reduced in diameter so the spring can fitthereover and be held in proper position. This spring, when the twosections of the housing and. the reel are all mounted in position asshown in Figure 3, will be under compression and thus exert a force tohold the two conductor discs in constant engagement, yet permit theconductor disc 50 to rotate relative thereto and with the reel.

The spring 54 not only serves to hold the two conductor discs together,but has the additional function of providing means for establishing africtional resistance to turning of the reel so that the reel will notbe free running. This is accomplished by the provision of a fiber washer55 mounted between the plate of the reel section 4| and the inner sidesurface of the housing section 25, with the washer being in surroundingrelation to the boss 39 in which the shaft 40 is rotatably mounted. Withthis fiber washer, the spring 54 will be effective to press the sideplate 42 of reel section 4| tightly against one side of the frictionwasher and the other side of the friction waf'sher tightly against theinner surface of the housing section 25. The fiber washer is freefloating, having no attachment to either the reel or the housing. Thespring 54 is so constructed that when it is under compression in theassembled structure, it will produce enough force to permit the reel torotate when an appreciable pulling force is applied to the electric cord45 to unwind it or an appreciable turning force is applied to the crank44 to wind it up.

From the foregoing description of my improved lamp itis believed to beapparent as to the manner ofits use. Thereel unit having the cordmounted therein is fastened to any'suitable support by the mountingbracket, all as shown in Figure 1. Because of the bolt 29, this unit canbe adjusted about the axis of the bolt, as desired, to thus direct thebeam of light from the reflector unitR up or down or horizontal, if suchunit is rigidly mounted by the clamp in the reel unit C as shown inFigure 1. With such mounting the small cylindrical part I I of thereflector unit will be placed in the cylindrical opening in the reelunit and the clamp member will hold it therein by fastening the clamp tothelug 32 on the reel unit which is below its cylindrical opening. Undersuch conditions neither unit will be capable of relative movement withrespect to theiothermThe bracket and attachingbolt 38 will also permitthe lamp to be mounted, with the reflector unit directed in anydirection around the axis of bolt 38.

If it should be desired to have the reflector unit movable with respectto the reel unit and about the axis of the pivot screw 23 of the clamp,the bolt 22 of the clamp can be loosened and the reflector unit removedfrom the cylindrical opening in the reel unit following which the clampwill be again tightened onto the lug 32 in a position to place the axisof the pivot screw at the desired angle. With this mounting of thereflector unit on the reel unit, all as illustrated in Figure 5, thebeam of light can be directed in various directions about the pivotalaxis of the pivot screw 23 by merely turning the reflector unit. Thereflector unit will stay in the set position because of the frictionbetween the clamp and unit established by the tightening of the pivotscrew. If the beam should need to be lowered or raised, such can be doneby adjusting the clamp on the lug 32. If this adjustment is too limited,then further adjustment can be had by adjusting the reel unit on themounting bracket by means of bolt 29. With all of these adjustments itis seen that the beam of light can shine in innumerable directionsapproaching universal.

If at any time it is desired to have light at a point not accessiblewith the reflector unit adjustably mounted on the reel unit, thereflector unit can be unclamped therefrom and clamped on any othersuitable remote support within a distance permitted by the length of thecord 45, all as illustrated in Figure 6. The reflector unit, when on asupport remote from the reel unit, can be directed in innumerabledirections, the same as when on the reel unit as shown in Figure 5. Whenthe reflector unit is removed from the reel unit, the desired length ofcord can be pulled off the reel and the reel will not overrun, due tothe action of the friction washer between the reel and housing. When itis again desired to place the units together, the cord can be easilywound back on the reel by turning the crank 44.

If it is desired to use the lamp as a warning signal, the red lens willbe attached. Whenever white light is desired, the red lens will beremoved. This red lens is preferably of the reflecting type so that ifthe bulb is not lighted any other light shining on the lens will producea red reflection for warning purposes. The lamp thus has dual uses, suchas for a head light, a tail light, a trouble light, a warning signal,etc.

When used on a' vehicle, asshown, itwill receive current from a batteryby a single conductor. A double conductor could be employed, if it wasdesired to use the lamp with'ordinary commercial electricity around agarage, barn, house, etc. It will be noted that the lamp structure issimple, yet rugged. A minimum of parts are used, thus making iteconomical to manufacture. It is also to be noted that the lamp is freeof any vibration noises as all parts are under a pressure force by thecoil spring. The action of this spring also steadies the reel and aidsin supporting the reel through the friction washer.

Beingaware of the possibility of modifications in the particular lampshown and described as embodying my invention, all without departingfrom the fundamental principles thereof, I de- "sire it to be understoodthat the scope of my invention is not to be limited except in accordancwith the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electric lamp comprising a housing, a reel in said housing, asecond housing carrying a reflector and an electrical socket for a lightbulb, an electrical cord for winding on and off the reel and connectedto the socket, means for connecting the cord to a source of electricityin a manner permitting it to be wound on and off the reel, meanscomprising a clamp structure carried by the second housing for attachingthe two housings together or permitting their separation and themounting of the second housing on a support other than the firsthousing, and means for pivotally mounting the clamping structure on thesecond housing.

2. An electric lamp comprising a housing, a reel in said housing, asecond housing carrying a reflector and an electrical socket for a lightbulb, a reel rotatably mounted in the first housing, an electrical cordfor winding on and off the reel and connected to a source ofelectricity, and means comprising a clamp structure for attaching thetwo housings together or permitting their separation and the mounting ofthe second housing on a support other than the first housing, said clampstructure being permanently mounted on the second housing by meanspermitting the second housing to move relatively to the clamp against africtional resistance.

3. An electric lamp comprising a housing having an opening, a reel insaid housing, a.- second housing carrying a reflector and an electricalsocket for a light bulb and being provided with a portion for fittinginto the opening of the first housing, an electrical cord for winding onand on the reel and connected to the socket and extending through thefirst housing opening and onto the reel, means for connecting the cordto a source of electricity, and means comprising a clamp structurecarried by the second housing for attaching the two housings togetherwith the second fitted into the opening of the first, or in a positionfree of said opening or permitting their separation and the mounting ofthe second housing on a support other than the first housing.

4. An electric lamp comprising a housing having a cylindrical openingtherein and provided with a projection on its outside adjacent theopening, a reel mounted in the housing, a second housing having acylindrical portion for fitting the cylindrical opening, a reflectorcarried by the second housing and an electric socket for receiving alight bulb, a conductor cord connected to the socket and to the reel andwindable on the latter, means for connecting the cord to a source ofelectricity in a manner to permit the cord to be wound on and taken offthe reel by a rotation of the reel, and a clamp structure pivotallycarried by'the second housing for cooperating with the projection on thefirst housing to hold the two housings rigidly together when thecylindrical portion of the second housing is in the opening of the reelhousing or to permit pivoting of the second housing on the first housingwhen the second housing is mounted so that the cylindrical portion isfree of the cylindrical opening. 5. In a reel type of electric lamp, ahousing, a separable reflector unit, a reel unit for permitting thereflector unit to be placed at various remote points without undesirablecord lengths, said reel unit comprising a reel mounted for rotation, anelectrical cord windable on the reel and having an end connected to thereflector unit, a conductor plate mounted on the inside of the housing,conductor means for connecting the plate to a source of electricity, asecond conductor plate connected to the other end of the cord andmounted on the reel for rotation therewith but capable of movementaxially of said reel, a spring carried by the reel and acting on thesecond plate to hold it in pressure engagement with the first plate, andmeans operable by the spring for establishing a frictional actionbetween the reel and housing to frictionally hold the reel in anyrotatable position it may be placed but having insufficient friction toprevent unwinding of the cord by pulling thereon.

6. In a reel type of electric lamp, a housing, a

separable reflector unit, a reel unit for permitting the reflector unitto be placed at various remote points without undesirable cord lengths,said reel unit comprising a reel, a shaft for rotatably mounting thereel on the housing, said reel having a hollow hub portion, anelectrical cord windable on the reel and having an end connected to thereflector unit, a conductor plate mounted on the inside of the housingopposite the hollow hub portion, conductor means for connecting theplate to a source of electricity, a second conductor plate connected tothe other end of the cord and mounted in the hollow hub portion of thereel for rotation therewith but capable of movement axially of saidreel, and a spring positioned with the hollow hub of the reel and actingon the second plate to hold it in pressure engagement with the firstplate.

ALBERT F. VANDENBERG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,006,598 Schnaus Oct. 24, 1911 1,073,013 Andres Sept. 9, 19131,319,473 Grigsby Oct. 21, 1919 1,390,939 Thurn Sept. 13, 1921 1,656,648Ritz Woller Jan. 17, 1928 1,978,644 Metter Oct. 30, 1934 2,013,733Murphy Sept. 10, 1935 2,424,719 Stoeck et al July 29, 1947 2,574,216Lindgren Nov. 6, 1951

